During the pandemic, many of us have been reconnecting with nature. And now, the Orleans House Gallery in Twickenham is addressing our relationship with the natural world in their latest exhibition. Remember the Future will be looking at the current ecological crisis and will see artists in residence setting up studios in the historic gallery on Richmond’s riverside.
Over time, our relationship with nature has become damaged. Remember the Future will explore how we can renew this relationship, using the guest artists’ research to investigate the ways in which it can be fixed. This is the first exhibition taking place as part of a new three-year project called Cultural Reforesting.
Remember the Future will be spread across the Orleans House Gallery site, grounds and ecosystem. There’ll be a studio space in the gallery, as well as art displays featuring works by all the artists in residency. Running alongside the exhibition will be a series of events, including a Late, workshops, family activities and talks.
What’s on at the Remember the Future exhibition?
The first of the five artist residencies will be with renowned visual artists Ackroyd & Harvey, taking place from 18th May to 18th July 2021. Ackroyd & Harvey are noted for their work on environmental issues. Through this expansive exhibition, the artists will examine ecocide – the destruction of an ecosystem of a particular area – and how we can prevent this in the future.
They will consider how we can better value and protect our local environments through everyday action. And through philosophies such as ecocentrism, which places the needs of nature above the desires of humans. Their research will highlight the importance of storytelling as a tool for combating the climate crisis. Ackroyd & Harvey will also create a grown artwork on-site, highlighting the need to consider the future in the actions we take today.
Throughout the Remember the Future event, artist Nestor Pestana will be in residence in the gallery’s grounds. Pestana will be focusing on bats – a species that inhabits the grounds – and their connection to other species. Exploring how human communities can engage with the wider ecosystem, with empathy and a sense of responsibility towards otherness.
More events at the exhibition
Three more artist residencies will take place between July and November. Bryony Benge-Abbott will be in residence from 22nd July to 19th September, exploring how the practice of drawing nature can evoke a deeper sense of connection with our surroundings. Whilst Vicky Long & Eloise Moody will examine the role that human play in the ecosystem and the legacy it leaves. They’ll be in residence from 3rd August to 3rd October. And the final artist will be recruited via an open call and will be in residence from 23rd September to 14th November.
Cultural Reforesting is a three-year undertaking by Orleans House Gallery, championing artistic research and the creation of a wide-ranging series of exhibitions, events and interdisciplinary collaborations. The project will turn Orleans House Gallery and its surprisingly wild grounds into an artistic laboratory to investigate our relationship with nature and the local Richmond riverside environment. Remember the Future is chapter one of this story.
If you like the sound of this, the gallery is open every day except Monday. You can find more info about visiting the exhibition and safety measures, here. Fancy exploring more arty stuff? Try these!
When: 18th May – 14th November 2021
Where: Orleans House Gallery, Orleans Road, Twickenham TW1 3BL
£: Free
More info: www.orleanshousegallery.org
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